Comments

MLB Picks

Pick LA Money Line in Friday's Athletics vs. Angels MLB Odds

A couple of American League heavyweights go at it tonight when the A’s take on the Angels. Read what our MLB betting odds expert has to say about this premier game, and where he deems the money line betting value to be.

Battle of the AL West Beasts
The Angels will host the A’s tonight at Angels Stadium in Anaheim with the first pitch coming at 10:05 PM ET. According to the MLB odds, the A’s are a -120 money line road favorite, and the posted total is 7.0. This will be the 2nd of a 4-game crucial series between the teams battling for the AL West crown. Entering this series, the A’s had won 8 of the 12-meetings between these clubs in 2014. Just 4 of those 12-games stayed under the total.

Leaning on Lester
The A’s will send all-star Jon Lester to the mound this evening. Lester has gone a combined 17-9 against the money this season, with a stellar 2.53 ERA, as a member of both the Red Sox and A’s. The Oakland hurler last started this past Saturday at home versus the same opponent he will face tonight. In that outing, he went 7.0 innings, allowed just 1 earned run, 5-hits, struck out 7, and walked 1 during a 2-1 Oakland win. Lester is on a red-hot 11-2 against the money run over his last 13-starts. Lester has gone a perfect 4-0 in his last 4 home starts versus the Angels with an excellent 0.93 ERA.

Weaver Winning But…
Jered Weaver comes off a much need strong outing last Sunday night in a 6-3 win at Oakland. The Veteran Angels hurler went 6 2/3 innings in that outing, allowed 3 earned runs, 8-hits, and walked none. Weaver has gone a very profitable 12-2 against the money in his last 14, but has displayed a bit of shaky form over his last 6-starts by posting a lofty 5.14 ERA and 1.69 WHIP. In 3-starts versus Oakland this season, Weaver has been less than impressive in posting a sizable 6.00 ERA and 1.56 WHIP.

A’s Struggling on the Road of Late
Oakland has gone just 8-16 in their last 24 road games. Even with that bad away games stretch they still possess a solid 35-31 mark on the road. The good news for Oakland is that once this series concludes, they will play 15 of their remaining 24-games at home where they’ve gone a terrific 43-23 (.652) this season. The A’s have remarkably gone just 2-12 on the road this season when the total is 7.0, just like it will be tonight. Contrarily, they’ve gone an outstanding 30-14 in 2014 as a road money line favorite of -110 or more.

An ATM Machine at Home
The Angels have been money in their home park this season, going 43-24 (.642), despite going just 10-9 in their last 19 at Anaheim. They’re a team that gets a lot of attention for their powerful lineup, but the bullpen has been extremely good in posting a staff ERA of 2.99 at home, and 3.32 on the season.

Final Analysis
The difference for me tonight lies with the starting pitchers when making the MLB pick on this game. There’s not a chance in the world you would ever have seen Jered Weaver as a home underdog in recent years. I’m of the opinion that the books are right on with their assessment. Weaver has been lucky on numerous occasions to walk away with a win, being the beneficiary of pitching for a very potent offensive team. Jon Lester has been whole other story. The veteran southpaw has been absolutely brilliant over the last two plus months. My betting edge goes to the road team in this one.Free MLB Pick: A’s -120 over the Angeles at Bovada